Information display system and method

ABSTRACT

A trip gauge for a vehicle information display may convey vehicle trip information and vehicle range information graphically to assist drivers in qualitatively visualizing and determining whether they can successfully make it to their destination before an on-board energy source is depleted. The trip gauge may include indicators corresponding to the relative locations of the vehicle, the destination, and a projected zero charge location associated with the vehicle&#39;s range or distance to empty value. Moreover, the positions of the indicators relative to one another may indicate whether the excess energy is available for the vehicle to reach the destination or whether the energy available is insufficient. Accordingly, drivers may be either reassured that they are expected to reach their destination successfully or warned if they are not so the drivers can modify their driving behavior or change their destination.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/985,717 filed Jan. 6, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,696,176, issued Jul.4, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entiretyby reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to an information display system andmethod for a vehicle for graphically displaying vehicle range anddestination information relative to each other and the vehicle location.

BACKGROUND

All vehicles, whether passenger or commercial, include a number ofgauges, indicators, and various other displays to provide the vehicleoperator with information regarding the vehicle and its surroundings.With the advent of new technologies, such as hybrid electric vehicles(HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEVs) and battery electricvehicles (BEVs), has come a variety of new gauges and informationdisplays that help guide drivers to better learn, understand and trustthe operation of these vehicles that utilize new technology. Forexample, many HEVs incorporate gauges that attempt to provide the driverwith information on the various hybrid driving states. Some gauges willindicate to the driver when the vehicle is being propelled by the enginealone, the motor alone, or a combination of the two. Similarly, adisplay may indicate when the motor is operating as a generator, and isrecharging an energy storage device, such as a battery.

It is known that some drivers may not be able to achieve desired fueleconomy or energy efficiency numbers, in part because of driving habits.In many cases, drivers are willing to modify their behavior, but areunable to translate recommended techniques into real changes in theirdriving habits. With the increase in sensing electronics, computers andother related technology on board a vehicle, the amount of informationthat can be communicated to the driver is virtually limitless. Often,the driver may not even know of all the features and capabilities theirvehicle has to offer. Displaying certain types of information,particularly information relevant to HEVs, PHEVs or BEVs, can helpfacilitate economical driving choices.

SUMMARY

According to one or more embodiments of the present application, a tripgauge for a vehicle may include a first end associated with a trip startlocation and a second end. The trip gauge may further include a targetindicator associated with a target location and disposed apart from thefirst end to indicate an overall distance between the trip startlocation and the target location. Further, the trip gauge may include avehicle indicator associated with a vehicle location. The position ofthe vehicle indicator relative to the first end may indicate a currenttrip distance. The position of the vehicle indicator relative to thetarget indicator may indicate a current target distance. The targetindicator may be disposed between the first end and the second end.Alternatively, the target indicator may be fixed at the second end.

The trip gauge may also include an empty indicator disposed between thevehicle indicator and the second end. The position of the emptyindicator relative to the vehicle indicator may indicate an estimatedvehicle range. The target indicator may be disposed between the vehicleindicator and the empty indicator when the estimated vehicle rangeexceeds the current target distance indicating a surplus of energyexists for the vehicle to reach the target location. The empty indicatormay be disposed between the vehicle indicator and the target indicatorwhen the current target distance exceeds the estimated vehicle rangeindicating insufficient energy is available for the vehicle to reach thetarget location. The target indicator may be static and the vehicleindicator and the empty indicator may move along the trip gauge relativeto the target indicator. Alternately, the empty indicator may be staticand the vehicle indicator and the target indicator may move along thetrip gauge relative to the empty indicator. Moreover, the emptyindicator may be disposed between the first end and the second end orthe empty indicator may be fixed at the second end.

According to one or more additional embodiments, an information displaysystem for a vehicle may include an information display and a controllerin communication with the information display. The information displaymay include a trip gauge having a first end associated with a trip startlocation and a second end. Additionally, the trip gauge may include atarget indicator associated with a target location and a vehicleindicator associated with a vehicle location. The controller may beconfigured to determine a current trip distance and a current targetdistance. Moreover, the controller may be configured to transmit signalscausing the information display to adjust the position of the vehicleindicator based upon the current trip distance and the current targetdistance.

The trip gauge may further include an empty indicator disposed betweenthe vehicle indicator and the second end. The position of the emptyindicator relative to the vehicle indicator may indicate an estimatedvehicle range. In this regard, the controller may be further configuredto determine the estimated vehicle range and calculate a differencebetween the estimated vehicle range and the current target distance.Further, the controller may be configured to transmit signals causingthe information display to adjust the position of the empty indicatorrelative to the target indicator based upon the difference between theestimated vehicle range and the current target distance.

The target indicator may be disposed between the vehicle indicator andthe empty indicator when the estimated vehicle range exceeds the currenttarget distance indicating an energy surplus exists for the vehicle toreach the target location. The amount of the energy surplus maycorrespond to the difference between the estimated vehicle range and thecurrent target distance. The empty indicator may be disposed between thevehicle indicator and the target indicator when the current targetdistance exceeds the estimated vehicle range indicating an energydeficit exists for the vehicle to reach the target location. The amountof the energy deficit may correspond to the difference between theestimated vehicle range and the current target distance.

According to one or more additional embodiments, a display method for avehicle may include determining a current target distance based upon acurrent vehicle location and a target destination. The method mayfurther include estimating a current vehicle range based upon an amountof energy remaining in an energy storage device, calculating adifference between the current vehicle range and the current targetdistance, and displaying a trip gauge. The trip gauge may include avehicle indicator associated with the current vehicle location and atarget indicator associated with the target destination. The targetindicator may be spaced apart from the vehicle indicator based upon thecurrent target distance. The trip gauge may further include an emptyindicator spaced apart from the vehicle indicator based upon the currentvehicle range. Moreover, the empty indicator may be disposed relative tothe target indicator based upon the difference between the currentvehicle range and the current target distance.

The target indicator may be disposed between the vehicle indicator andthe empty indicator when the current vehicle range exceeds the currenttarget distance. The empty indicator may be disposed between the vehicleindicator and the target indicator when the current target distanceexceeds the current vehicle range.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified, exemplary schematic representation of a vehicleincluding an information display system according to one or moreembodiments of the present application;

FIG. 2a depicts an exemplary information display according to one ormore embodiments of the present application;

FIG. 2b depicts an alternate view of the information display in FIG. 2a;

FIG. 3a depicts an exemplary information display according to one ormore alternate embodiments of the present application;

FIG. 3b depicts an alternate view of the information display in FIG. 3a;

FIG. 4a depicts another exemplary information display according to oneor more alternate embodiments of the present application;

FIG. 4b depicts an alternate view of the information display in FIG. 4a;

FIG. 5a depicts yet another exemplary information display according toone or more alternate embodiments of the present application; and

FIG. 5b depicts an alternate view of the information display in FIG. 5a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present application aredisclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosedembodiments are merely exemplary of an invention that may be embodied invarious and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale;some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details ofparticular components. Therefore, specific structural and functionaldetails disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, butmerely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art tovariously employ one or more embodiments of the present application.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a simplified, exemplaryschematic representation of a vehicle 10. As seen therein, the vehicle10 may be a battery electric vehicle (BEV), which is an all-electricvehicle propelled by one or more electric machines without assistancefrom an internal combustion engine. The one or more electric machines ofthe vehicle 10 may include a traction motor 12. The motor 12 may outputtorque to a shaft 14, which may be connected to a first set of vehicledrive wheels, or primary drive wheels 16, through a gearbox 18. Othervehicles within the scope of the present application may have differentelectric machine arrangements, such as more than one traction motor. Inthe embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the traction motor 12 can be used as amotor to output torque to propel the vehicle 10. Alternatively, themotor 12 can also be used as a generator, outputting electrical power toa high voltage bus 20 and to an energy storage system 22 through aninverter 24.

The energy storage system 22 may include a main battery 26 and a batteryenergy control module (BECM) 28. The main battery 26 may be a highvoltage battery that is capable of outputting electrical power tooperate the motor 12. According to one or more embodiments, the mainbattery 26 may be a battery pack made up of several battery modules.Each battery module may contain a plurality of battery cells. Thebattery cells may be air cooled using existing vehicle cabin air. Thebattery cells may also be heated or cooled using a fluid coolant system.The BECM 28 may act as a controller for the main battery 26. The BECM 28may also include an electronic monitoring system that managestemperature and state of charge of each of the battery cells. Othertypes of energy storage systems can be used with a vehicle, such as thevehicle 10. For example, a device such as a capacitor can be used,which, like a high voltage battery, is capable of both storing andoutputting electrical energy. Alternatively, a device such as a fuelcell may be used in conjunction with a battery and/or capacitor toprovide electrical power for the vehicle 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the motor 12, the gearbox 18, and the inverter 24may generally be referred to as a transmission 30. To control thecomponents of the transmission 30, a vehicle control system, showngenerally as a vehicle controller 32, may be provided. Although it isshown as a single controller, it may include multiple controllers thatmay be used to control multiple vehicle systems. For example, thecontroller 32 may be a vehicle system controller/powertrain controlmodule (VSC/PCM). In this regard, the PCM portion of the VSC/PCM may besoftware embedded within the VSC/PCM, or it can be a separate hardwaredevice.

A controller area network (CAN) 34 may allow the controller 32 tocommunicate with the transmission 30 and the BECM 28. Just as the mainbattery 26 includes a BECM, other devices controlled by the controller32 may have their own controllers or sub-controllers. For example, thetransmission 30 may include a transmission control module (TCM) (notshown), configured to coordinate control of specific components withinthe transmission 30, such as the motor 12 and/or the inverter 24. Forinstance, the TCM may include a motor controller. The motor controllermay monitor, among other things, the position, speed, power consumptionand temperature of the motor 12. Using this information and a throttlecommand by the driver, the motor controller and the inverter 24 mayconvert the direct current (DC) voltage supply by the main battery 26into signals that can be used to drive the motor 12. Some or all ofthese various controllers can make up a control system, which, forreference purposes, may be the controller 32. Although illustrated anddescribed in the context of the vehicle 10, which is a BEV, it isunderstood that embodiments of the present application may beimplemented on other types of vehicles, such as those powered by aninternal combustion engine, either alone or in addition to one or moreelectric machines (e.g., HEVs, PHEVs, etc.).

The vehicle 10 may also include a climate control system 38. The climatecontrol system 38 may include both heating and cooling components. Forinstance, the climate control system 38 may include a high voltagepositive temperature coefficient (PTC) electric heater and controller40. The PTC 40 may be used to heat coolant that circulates to apassenger car heater. Heat from the PTC 40 may also be circulated to themain battery 26. The climate control system 38 may also include a highvoltage electric HVAC compressor 42. Both the PTC 40 and the HVACcompressor 42 may draw electrical energy directly from the main battery26. Moreover, the climate control system 38 may communicate with thecontroller 32. The on/off status of the climate control system 38 can becommunicated to the controller 32, and can be based on, for example, thestatus of an operator actuated switch, or the automatic control of theclimate control system 38 based on related functions such as windowdefrost.

In addition to the main battery 26, the vehicle 10 may include aseparate, secondary battery 44, such as a typical 12-volt battery. Thesecondary battery 44 may be used to power the vehicle's various otheraccessories, headlights, and the like (collectively referred to hereinas accessories 46). A DC-to-DC converter 48 may be electricallyinterposed between the main battery 26 and the secondary battery 44. TheDC-to-DC converter 48 may allow the main battery 26 to charge thesecondary battery 44.

The vehicle 10, which is shown as a BEV, may further include analternating current (AC) charger 50 for charging the main battery 26using an off-vehicle AC source. The AC charger 50 may include powerelectronics used to convert the off-vehicle AC source from an electricalpower grid to the DC voltage required by the main battery 26, therebycharging the main battery 26 to its full state of charge. The AC charger50 may be able to accommodate one or more conventional voltage sourcesfrom an off-vehicle electrical grid (e.g., 110 volt, 220 volt, etc.).The AC charger 50 may be connected to the off-vehicle electrical gridusing an adaptor, shown schematically in FIG. 1 as a plug 52.

Also shown in FIG. 1 are simplified schematic representations of abraking system 54, an acceleration system 56, and a navigation system57. The braking system 54 may include such things as a brake pedal,position sensors, pressure sensors, or some combination of the two, aswell as a mechanical connection to the vehicle wheels, such as theprimary drive wheels 16, to effect friction braking. The braking system54 may also include a regenerative braking system, wherein brakingenergy may be captured and stored as electrical energy in the mainbattery 26. Similarly, the acceleration system 56 may include anaccelerator pedal having one or more sensors, which, like the sensors inthe braking system 54, may communicate information such as throttleinput to the controller 32. The navigation system 57 may include anavigation display, a global positioning system (GPS) unit, a navigationcontroller and inputs for receiving destination information or otherdata from a driver. The navigation system may also communicate distanceand/or location information associated with the vehicle 10, its targetdestinations, or other relevant GPS waypoints. The controller 32 maycommunicate with each individual vehicle system to monitor and controlvehicle operation according to programmed algorithms and control logic.In this regard, the controller 32 may help manage the different energysources available and the mechanical power being delivered to the wheels16 in order to maximize the vehicle's range. The controller 32 may alsocommunicate with a driver as well.

In addition to the foregoing, the vehicle 10 may include an informationdisplay system 58 to facilitate communications with a driver. Asexplained in detail below, the information display system 58 may providerelevant vehicle content to a driver of the vehicle 10 before, during orafter operation. As shown in FIG. 1, the information display system 58may include the controller 32 and an information display 60. Theinformation display system 58 may also include its own control system,which, for reference purposes, may be a display control unit 62. Thedisplay control unit 62 may communicate with the controller 32 and mayperform control functions on the information display 60, although thecontroller 32 may also function as the information display's controlsystem. The controller 32 may be configured to receive input thatrelates to current operating conditions of the vehicle 10. For instance,the controller 32 may receive input signals from the BECM 28, thetransmission 30 (e.g., motor 12 and/or inverter 24), the climate controlsystem 38, the braking system 54, the acceleration system 56, or thelike. The controller 32 may provide output to the display control unit62 such that the information display 60 conveys energy consumption andrange information, or other information relating to the operation of thevehicle 10 to a driver.

The information display 60 may be disposed within a dashboard (notshown) of the vehicle 10, such as an instrument panel or center consolearea. Moreover, the information display 60 may be part of anotherdisplay system, such as the navigation system 57, or may be part of adedicated information display system. The information display 60 may bea liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, an organic lightemitting display (OLED), or any other suitable display. The informationdisplay 60 may include a touch screen for receiving driver inputassociated with selected areas of the information display 60. Theinformation display system 58 may also include one or more buttons (notshown), including hard keys or soft keys, located adjacent theinformation display 60 for effectuating driver input. Other operatorinputs known to one of ordinary skill in the art may also be employedwithout departing from the scope of the present application.

Referring generally to FIGS. 2a-5b , the information display 60 is shownin greater detail in accordance with one or more embodiments of thepresent application. As seen therein, the information display 60 maydisplay one or more display screens 64 that may change to conveydifferent information to the driver. To that end, the one or moredisplay screens 64 may be selectable or non-selectable and maytransition upon receipt of driver or vehicle input at the controller 32and/or display control unit 62.

As shown in FIGS. 2a-b , the one or more display screens 64 of theinformation display 60 may include a range view 66, which may conveyrange information associated with the vehicle 10. The range view 66 mayinclude a battery gauge 68 having a battery state of charge (SOC)indicator 70. The SOC indicator 70 may convey the relative amount ofelectrical energy remaining in the main battery 26. BEVs may have alimited range or distance that can be traveled before the main battery26 is depleted. Accordingly, the range of a vehicle may also be referredto as its distance to empty (DTE) value. To convey the DTE value, thebattery gauge 68 may also include a DTE indicator 72. As shown in FIG.2a-b , the DTE indicator 72 may be a digital data readout of the DTEvalue in units of distance (e.g., miles, kilometers, etc.)Alternatively, the DTE indicator 72 may be displayed elsewhere on thebudget screen 66.

How the vehicle 10 is driven can be an important factor in determininghow long the remaining charge in the main battery 26 is expected tolast. For instance, aggressive driving behavior may deplete the mainbattery 26 more rapidly than relatively conservative driving behavior.To this end, the vehicle's estimated range or DTE value may be based notonly upon the amount of battery energy available in the main battery 26,but also upon an energy consumption profile. The energy consumptionprofile may correspond to an anticipated rate of energy consumptionbased on several factors. For example, the energy consumption profilemay correspond to a theoretical or global average rate of energyconsumption for all types of drivers. According to one or moreembodiments, the energy consumption profile from which the DTE isestimated may correspond to an average rate of energy consumption forthe vehicle 10 or one of the vehicle's drivers. For instance, eachdriver of the vehicle 10 may be assigned a key ID identifying themselvesto the vehicle 10. This may allow driver preferences, setting or otherprofile information, such as an energy consumption profile, to be storedand recalled for each driver. The key ID may be input to the vehicleeither actively or passively at startup. For example, each driver maymanually enter a code associated with their key ID. Alternatively, thekey ID may be automatically transmitted to the vehicle 10 using radiofrequency (RF) technology. In particular, the key ID may be an RFIDstored in a driver's key or key fob that, when interrogated, transmitsthe driver's ID to the vehicle 10. Whether the energy consumptionprofile is associated with the vehicle 10 in general or an individualdriver of the vehicle 10, the energy consumption profile may correspondto a lifetime average energy consumption rate or an average energyconsumption rate for a past distance traveled, period of time or someother relevant event. The vehicle's estimate range may also factor inweather conditions, traffic conditions, information from the navigationsystem 57 (e.g., terrain, speed limits, traffic control elements, etc.),an instantaneous energy consumption rate, or the like. The operation ofthe vehicle 10 may be continuously monitored and analyzed in order todetermine the impact of driving behavior on the vehicle's range. Asdescribed, the controller 32 may take into account past drivingbehavior, current driving behavior, and/or predicted future drivingbehavior when assessing the vehicle's range and constantly updating theestimated DTE value.

As mentioned previously, BEVs may have limited range; they may also havelimited opportunities to recharge. In order to inform drivers whetherthey will be able to make it to their next charge point, the range view66 may also convey information corresponding to a target. The target maybe a destination, either intermediate or final, such as a charginglocation. Moreover, the target may be designated by the navigationsystem 57 with or without driver input. Alternatively, the targetinformation may correspond to a distance value input to the controller32, either directly or indirectly. Whether initially entered as adestination (e.g., navigation waypoint) or a distance, the targetinformation may correspond to a current distance from the vehicle to thetarget, referred to as a target distance. Thus, in addition to thebattery gauge 68, the range view 66 may include a distance to target(DTT) 74 indicator corresponding to the current target distance. Aspreviously mentioned, the target distance may correspond to the currentdistance from the vehicle 10 to a destination, such as the next charginglocation. Similar to the DTE indicator 72, the DTT indicator 74 may alsobe a digital data readout of the target distance value.

The information display system 58 may convey vehicle range informationand target distance information to provide drivers with reassurance thatthey will be able to make it to their next charge point. If they areunable to reach their destination, the range view 66 may also providedrivers plenty of warning so they can either modify their drivingbehavior in order to reach their target or change their targetdestination. When the target distance is less than the vehicle range(e.g., DTE value), the vehicle 10 may be considered to be operating withan energy surplus. Conversely, when the target distance exceeds thevehicle range, then the vehicle 10 may be considered to be operatingwith an energy deficit or “debt.” Accordingly, the range view 66 mayfurther include a status indicator 76 to convey to a driver whether thevehicle 10 has sufficient electrical energy to reach its intendedtarget. The status indicator 76 may also convey the magnitude or amountof the debt/surplus in units of distance. Like the DTE indicator 72 andthe DTT indicator 74, the status indicator 76 may also be a digital datareadout. As shown in FIG. 2a-b , the amount of the energy surplus(deficit) may be obtained by subtracting the current target distancevalue from the DTE value. In addition to the DTE indicator 72 and theDTT indicator 74, the range view 66 may include a trip distanceindicator 78. The trip distance indicator 78 may correspond to a currenttrip distance. For example, the current trip distance may be thedistance the vehicle has traveled since the start of a trip and may beassociated with the odometer mileage between a trip start location andthe current vehicle location. According to one or more embodiments, thetrip start location may reset each time vehicle is started or may onlybe reset upon specific driver input.

In addition to being shown as digital data, vehicle trip information,range information and target information may also be conveyedgraphically to provide a more qualitative visualization of the vehicle'slocation relative to a target location and an estimated empty or zerocharge location. The zero charge location may correspond to an estimatedlocation in which the energy available from the main battery 26 topropel the vehicle 10 will be depleted. Thus, the zero charge locationmay be based on the estimate of the DTE value. To this end, the rangeview 66 may further include a trip gauge 80. The trip gauge 80 maygraphically display the distance needed for the vehicle 10 to reach adesignated charging location or some other target (e.g., the targetdistance) as well as an overlay of the expected range of the vehicle 10relative to the target distance. As previously described, the differencebetween the target distance and the vehicle range may indicate whetherthe vehicle 10 has a surplus of charge in the main battery 26 (energysurplus) to make its destination, or rather a debt (energy deficit)indicating that the vehicle 10 is not projected to make it to thedestination at the current energy consumption level. Accordingly, thetrip gauge 80 may help inform drivers whether they are likely to reachtheir target destination or not so that driving behavior or,alternately, the target destination, can be modified accordingly.

With reference to FIGS. 2a-b , the trip gauge 80 may include a line orbar 82 having a first end 84 and a second end 86. The bar 82 may bestraight, as shown, or may be variously-shaped. For example, the bar 82may be arc-shaped or may comprise one or more line segments. The tripgauge 80 may convey distance as a linear scale. In this regard, thefirst end 84 may correspond to the trip start location. The trip gauge80 may further include a vehicle indicator 88 corresponding to a currentlocation of the vehicle 10 relative to the trip start location. Thus,the position of the vehicle indicator 88 relative to the first end 84may correspond to the current trip distance. The vehicle indicator 88may be a marker or some other element identifying and indicating therelative location of the vehicle 10 on the trip gauge 80. According toone or more embodiments, the vehicle indicator 88 may include a vehicleicon 90.

The trip gauge 80 may also include a target indicator 92 correspondingto a target location (e.g., charging location). The target indicator 92relative to the first end 84 may correspond to an overall distancebetween the trip start location and the target location. Moreover, thetarget indicator 92 relative to the vehicle indicator 88 may correspondto the target distance. Like the vehicle indicator 88, the targetindicator 92 may be a marker or some other element identifying andindicating the relative location of the target destination. According toone or more embodiments, the target indicator 92 may include a plug icon94. Of course, alternate icons may be employed by the informationdisplay system 58 in connection with the vehicle indicator 88 and thetarget indicator 92 without departing from the scope of the presentapplication. For instance, the target indicator 92 may include abull's-eye, pin, flag, or the like suitable for indicating a targetdestination such as a designated charging location.

According to one or more embodiments of the present application, thetarget indicator 92 may be fixed at a particular position on the tripgauge 80 and the vehicle indicator 88 may move along the trip gauge 80relative to the target indicator 92 and the trip start location based onthe current trip distance and the current target distance. In theexemplary information display 60 shown in FIGS. 2a-b , the current tripdistance is 10 miles as conveyed by the trip distance indicator 78 andthe current target distance is 40 miles as conveyed by the DTT indicator74. Thus, the overall distance between the trip start location and thetarget location is 50 miles. The controller 32 may calculate the ratioof the trip distance to the overall distance when determining where toposition the vehicle indicator 88 on the trip gauge 80. Accordingly, thevehicle indicator may be displayed approximately one-fifth (⅕^(th)) ofthe way between the first end 84 and the target indicator 92 (10miles/50 miles=0.20). Of course, the positions of the elements of thetrip gauge 80 may not necessarily be to scale. Instead, the vehicleindicator 88, for example, may only be displayed along the trip gauge 80to convey an approximate or general relation of the vehicle location tothe trip start location and/or the target location.

The trip gauge 80 may also include a trip distance region 96 associatedwith the current trip distance. Accordingly, the trip distance region 96may correspond to the section of the trip gauge 80 between the first end84 and the vehicle indicator 88. According to one or more embodiments ofthe present application, the trip distance region 96 may be used toconvey a history of vehicle performance, such as its energy efficiency.For example, the trip distance region 96 may exhibit one color to conveyperiods of relatively efficient vehicle operation and another color toconvey periods of relatively inefficient vehicle operation. Similar tothe trip distance region 96, the trip gauge 80 may include a targetdistance region 98 associated with the current target distance.Accordingly, the target distance region 98 may correspond to the sectionof the trip gauge 80 between the vehicle indicator 88 and the targetindicator 92.

According to one or more embodiments, the trip gauge may further includean empty indicator 100. The empty indicator 100 may be associated withthe estimated empty or zero charge location based on the range of thevehicle 10 (e.g., the DTE value). Accordingly, the position of the emptyindicator 100 relative to the vehicle indicator 88 may correspond to theDTE value and provide a relative indication of the vehicle's range.Moreover, the empty indicator 100 may convey the range of the vehicle 10relative to the target distance. Like the vehicle indicator 88 and thetarget indicator 92, the empty indicator 100 may also be a marker orsome other gauge element identifying and indicating the relativelocation of the zero charge location. According to one or moreembodiments, the empty indicator 100 may include an “E” icon 102symbolizing an empty energy storage device such as the main battery 26,though other icons, images or symbols may also be utilized.

As shown in FIG. 2a , the target indicator 92 may be disposed betweenthe vehicle indicator 88 and the empty indicator 100 when the estimatedvehicle range exceeds the current target distance. As a result, theexemplary information display shown in FIG. 2a may indicate that asurplus of charge exists in the main battery 26 (e.g., an energysurplus) for the vehicle 10 to reach its target destination. Conversely,with reference to FIG. 2b , the empty indicator 100 may be disposedbetween the vehicle indicator 88 and the target indicator 92 when thecurrent target distance exceeds the estimated vehicle range.Consequently, the exemplary information display shown in FIG. 2b mayindicate that there is insufficient energy available in the main battery26 (e.g., an energy deficit or debt) for the vehicle to reach its targetdestination. Thus, the trip gauge 80 may visually convey whether thevehicle can successfully make it to its destination based on theposition of the empty indicator 100 relative to the vehicle indicator 88and the target indicator 92.

The trip gauge 80 may also help convey to a driver the relativeimportance of the displayed content at any given time. For example, neara start of a trip, a driver may see that the estimated zero chargelocation is fairly close to the target destination, but there may be arelatively long distance for the vehicle 10 to travel to reach thedestination. Accordingly, the content of the information display 60, inparticular the trip gauge 80, may encourage the driver to carefullymonitor the driving environment as well as his or her driving behaviorduring the trip to ensure that the target destination is successfullyreached. On the other hand, a situation may occur where the targetdistance is relatively small and the battery energy available isrelatively large. For example, the vehicle 10 may only have 5 miles togo to reach the destination, but 25 miles worth of additional charge inthe main battery 26 (i.e., DTE=25 miles). In such situations, the tripgauge 80 may convey to a driver that there is little risk that thevehicle 10 will not make it to the target destination based on therelative locations of the vehicle indicator 88, target indicator 92 andempty indicator 100.

As previously described, the target indicator 92 may be fixed anywherealong the trip gauge 80. According to one or more embodiments, thetarget indicator 92 may be fixed on the trip gauge 80 approximatelymidway between the first end 84 and the second end 86, as shown in FIGS.2a-b . In this manner, trip gauge 80 may further include a surplusregion 104 corresponding to the portion of the trip gauge 80 between thetarget indicator 92 and the second end 86. Moreover, a surplus scale 106may be associated with the surplus region 104. Accordingly, the tripgauge 80 may convey when an energy surplus exists as well as delineatethe actual or relative magnitude of the energy surplus when the emptyindicator 100 is disposed in the surplus region 102. In the exampleshown in FIG. 2a , the vehicle range is 62 miles and the target distanceis 40 miles. Thus, the energy surplus is 22 miles (62−40=22). As aresult, the empty indicator 100 may be disposed in the surplus region104 adjacent a corresponding portion of the surplus scale 106 indicatingthe estimated 22 miles of additional battery charge beyond the target.The surplus scale 106 may linear, non-linear, or include portions ofboth. If the energy surplus exceeds the limits of the surplus scale 106,the empty indicator 100 may be displayed all the way at the second end86, or may not be displayed on the trip gauge 80 at all.

In the example shown in FIG. 2b , the vehicle range is 35 miles and thetarget distance is 40 miles. Accordingly, the energy surplus is negativefive miles (35−40=−5) or, stated differently, the energy deficit is 5miles. Consequently, the empty indicator 100 is disposed between thevehicle indicator 88 and the target indicator 92. When this occurs, theregion between the empty indicator 100 and the target indicator 92 maycorrespond to a debt region 108. The relative position of the emptyindicator 100 between the vehicle indicator 88 and the target indicator92 may indicate the relative magnitude of the energy deficit and, inturn, the size of the debt region 108.

Variations to the trip gauge 80 can be made to emphasize differentpieces of information. For instance, as shown in FIGS. 3a-b , the targetindicator 92 may be fixed at the second end 86 of the trip gauge 80,with the empty indicator 100 displayed only if the zero charge locationis located before the target destination indicating an energy deficit.In this manner, the trip gauge 80 may convey the projected failure toreach a target destination more prominently.

According to one or more additional embodiments, the empty indicator 100may be fixed on the trip gauge 80 while the vehicle indicator 88 and thetarget indicator 92 move along the trip gauge 80 relative to the emptyindicator 100. In this manner, the trip gauge 80 may emphasize theremaining distance to the zero charge location and/or the targetdestination, perhaps while deemphasizing the distance already traveled(e.g., the current trip distance). For example, with reference to FIGS.4a-b , the empty indicator 100 may be fixed somewhere between the firstend 84 and the second end 86 of the trip gauge 80. In this embodiment,rather than a surplus scale 106, the trip gauge 80 may include a debtscale 110 for more accurately conveying the magnitude of an energydeficit, should it exist, as illustrated in FIG. 4b in particular. Asanother example, with reference to FIGS. 5a-b , the empty indicator 100may be fixed at the second end 86 of the trip gauge 80. Moreover, thetarget indicator 92 may only be displayed if the target destination islocated before the zero charge location indicating an energy surplus. Inthis manner, the trip gauge 80 may convey the projected success inreaching a target destination more prominently.

The information display 60 may be updated to reflect any ongoing changesto the vehicle or system state. For example, if a driver takes a detourto the target from an expected or programmed route, the vehicle 10 mayconsult the navigation system 57 to determine a new target distance. Inaddition, updates to the estimated vehicle range (e.g., DTE value) maybe communicated to the information display 60, and subsequently conveyedto a driver, in real-time. In this manner, the controller 32 may receiveinput from one or more of the BECM 28, transmission 30, climate system38, breaking system 54, acceleration system 56, navigation system 57 andthe like corresponding to information associated with the contentdisplayed by the information display 60. Using this input, thecontroller 32 may determine, calculate and/or estimate trip distancevalues, target distance values, vehicle range values, or the like.Additionally, the controller 32 may determine whether vehicle 10 haseither an energy surplus or an energy deficit based on a comparison ofthe estimated vehicle range and the current target distance. Moreover,the controller 32 may calculate the difference between the estimatedvehicle range and the current target distance to determine the magnitudeof an energy surplus or deficit. Further, the controller 32 may transmitor output signals causing the information display 60 to adjust theposition of the vehicle indicator 88, target indicator 92, and/or emptyindicator 100 based at least upon the current trip distance, the currenttarget distance, and the estimated vehicle range.

When no target information is provided, the vehicle 10 may predict atarget distance based on past driving history, such as average tripdistance or some other available metric. Alternatively, if a targetdistance or destination is not entered by a driver or is otherwiseunavailable, the estimated DTE value at that time may be used as aninitial substitute value for the target distance. Moreover, the currenttarget distance may be obtained by counting down from the initial DTEestimate based on the actual distance traveled (e.g., odometer mileage)since the initial DTE estimate was established. When using a DTEestimate as a default substitute value when a target distance is notentered or becomes unavailable, the trip gauge 80 may help coach driversto at least obtain the initially estimated DTE. Since the estimatedvehicle range or DTE value may be based on an energy consumption profilefor a driver, the trip gauge 80 may provide an indication of thedriver's current driving behavior against himself or herself. Moreover,the labels on the DTT indicator 74 and the status indicator 76 maychange when a DTE estimate is substituted as the basis for the targetdistance to reflect the difference in the information being conveyed.For example, the label for the DTT indicator 74 may switch from “chargepoint” or a similar term to “budget” or another similar term. Similarly,the label for the status indicator 76 may switch from “surplus” or asimilar term to “status” or another similar term.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended thatthese embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather,the words used in the specification are words of description rather thanlimitation, and it is understood that various changes may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may becombined to form further embodiments of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information display system for a vehiclecomprising: an information display including a trip gauge having astatic first end associated with a trip start location, a static secondend, a vehicle indicator associated with a vehicle location, a statictarget indicator associated with a target location and disposed betweenthe vehicle indicator and the second end, and an empty indicator whoseposition relative to the vehicle indicator indicates an estimatedvehicle range; and a controller in communication with the informationdisplay and configured to: calculate a current trip distance, obtain acurrent target distance, and transmit signals causing the informationdisplay to adjust the position of the vehicle indicator based upon thecurrent trip distance and the current target distance.
 2. Theinformation display system of claim 1, wherein the controller is furtherconfigured to: calculate the estimated vehicle range; calculate adifference between the estimated vehicle range and the current targetdistance; and transmit signals causing the information display to adjustthe position of the empty indicator relative to the target indicatorbased upon the difference between the estimated vehicle range and thecurrent target distance.
 3. The information display system of claim 2,wherein the target indicator is disposed between the vehicle indicatorand the empty indicator when the estimated vehicle range exceeds thecurrent target distance indicating an energy surplus exists for thevehicle to reach the target location.
 4. The information display systemof claim 3, wherein an amount of the energy surplus corresponds to thedifference between the estimated vehicle range and the current targetdistance.
 5. The information display system of claim 2, wherein theempty indicator is disposed between the vehicle indicator and the targetindicator when the current target distance exceeds the estimated vehiclerange indicating an energy deficit exists for the vehicle to reach thetarget location.
 6. The information display system of claim 5, whereinan amount of the energy deficit corresponds to the difference betweenthe estimated vehicle range and the current target distance.
 7. Adisplay method comprising: obtaining a current target distance basedupon a current vehicle location and a target destination; estimating acurrent vehicle range based upon an amount of energy remaining in anenergy storage device; calculating a difference between the currentvehicle range and the current target distance; and displaying a tripgauge including: a vehicle indicator associated with the current vehiclelocation, a static target indicator associated with the targetdestination and spaced apart from the vehicle indicator based upon thecurrent target distance, and an empty indicator spaced apart from thevehicle indicator based upon the current vehicle range and disposedrelative to the target indicator based upon the difference between thecurrent vehicle range and the current target distance.
 8. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the target indicator is disposed between the vehicleindicator and the empty indicator when the current vehicle range exceedsthe current target distance.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the emptyindicator is disposed between the vehicle indicator and the targetindicator when the current target distance exceeds the current vehiclerange.
 10. The method of claim 7, wherein the trip gauge furtherincludes a first end and a second end, and the target indicator is fixedat the second end.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein the trip gaugefurther includes a first end and a second end, and the target indicatoris disposed between the first end and the second end.